Sewing-machine attachment



Dec. 20, 194 LE ROY w. BARKER 21,491,545

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 15, 194-7 ATTORNEYS Fatented Dec. 20, 1949 i:

Le Roy W. Barker,-Johnstown, N. Y., assignor to Gates-Mills, Inc., Johnstown, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 15, 19 47, Serial No. 768,796

9 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an attachment 1 for overstitch sewing machines of the type 'wherein the material to be seamed is fed in a vertical plane between a pair of contiguous feeding discs rotatable in a horizontal plane, and more particularly to an attachment serving as a guide and adjustable seam gauge for the material being sewn. V

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for overstitch sewing machines which will serve as a gauge for ob.- taining a seam of uniform depth on the material being sewn, the attachment being securable to the machine without altering the machine in any way.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an attachment of the character indicated which may be easily adjusted for varying the depth of the seam on the material being sewn.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a seam-gauging and guiding attachment in which the gauge member may be readily swung out of the way of the work when sewing stiff material indifficult and inaccessible places, as in seaming the finger crotches of leather and fabric gloves.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment, and wherein: I

' Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an attachment embodying the features of the invention secured to an overstitch sewing machine having a pair of horizontally rotating feeding discs and a horizontally reciprocating needle;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the machine and attachment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the attachment partly broken away to show-internal construction and :with the gauge member moved to inoperative, retracted position about its pivot;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the attachment showing the knob or lug fixed to the gauge member for retracting the'gauge member to inopera tive position when required in the sewing op.- eration; 1 Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the attachment taken on line 5'-5 of Fig. 1.

The attachment of the invention is shown mounted upon an overstitch sewing machine, such as a Bonis (B-model), Singer (176 class) or other machine having a housing ID, a pair of iicrizontanvrot table feeding discs u for feed.-

ing material M in a vertical plane to the horizontally reciprocating needle I2, and other stitching mechanism (not shown) the needle being protected by a grooved guard plate l3.

The attachment preferably comprises a curved shank i l having a medial slot 15 therein for pivotally retaining a gauge member l6. Shank I4 is formed with an arcuate lower leg H which overhangs the contiguous, tangential portion of one of feeding discs ll forwardly of needle [2, as

shown in Fig. l. Leg l1 serves to hold the two layers of material M upright against the needle guard plate I3 as the needle 12 pierces the material in the seaming operation.

Gauge member'ifi is pivoted as at I8 to shank l4 within-slot l5, and is formed forwardly with an outwardly projecting gauge lug [9 for guiding the material M and gauging the depth of the seam to be formed in a manner fully to be described. A projection or lug 2|] is fixed to gauge member is for swinging said gauge member out of the way of the work and to inoperative position away from leg [1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This latter feature is of importance in seaming stiff leather in difiicult and inaccessible places, such as the finger crotches of leather and fabric gloves and the like. Leg I! has a cut out He formed therein to receive lug or pin 20 when gage member If; is in operative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to provide adjustability for varying depths of seams, shank I4 is supported for vertical adjustment within a holder 20a. A convenient manner of obtaining this vertical adjustment involves forming shank M with an outwardly flaring wedge 2| insertable within a com- 20a to provide a somewhat flexible dovetailed construction between shank l4 and holder 20a.

Shank [4 may be secured in adjusted position by means of set screws 22 threaded into holder 20a and bearing against respective surfaces of wedge 2|. Holder 20a is provided with a stem 23 for supporting the attachment in the drilled hole pf the machine which normally retains the conventional fixed guide so that the attachment may besecured to a conventional overstitch machine without altering the machine in any member.

.After the attachment has been secured to the machine as shown in Fig. 1 with the gauge member IS in operative position and with gauge lug 19 thereof over the material M passing between the feedings discs ll, said gauge member will be automatically held in operative position against leg I! by the passage of the material M from left to right as seen in Fig. 1. The upper maintaining the material to be sewn "in dip-right edges of the material M will abut the bottom sur-- face of guage lug l9 and a seam of uniform depth will be obtained. If thicker material is introduced between the feeding discs ll, guide member IE will automatically swing wider about its pivot [8 to accommodate the thicker material. Guage lug l9 automatically swings into alignment with the material being fed between the two discs, so that it is'adapte'd at all times to accommodate said material Whether the mate rial be relatively thick or relatively thin. In this connection, it is to be noted that the gauge dug. I9 is preferably channel-shaped in cross-section as shown in the drawings in order tomoreefi'ectively guide the material in its-passage between the feeding discs I I.

If it is desired to form a seam-of wider or nar rower depth, shank [4 may be moved vertically up or down and held in adjusted position by means of set screws 22 in holder 20a.

Since certain modifications may be made in the attachment of 'theinvention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained-in the foregoing =de,

scription and shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimedis:

1. A seam-gauging andsguiding attach'ment'for overstitch type sewing machines includin a pair of horizontally rotatable feeding discs for feed, ing material to be stitched in av vertical .plane and a needle guard plate on one side of said plane, said attachmentcompri'sing as'ha'nk portion on the other side of' said. plane extending rearwardly in the form 'offa'n arcuate le'g serwing as a guide for cooperating with said needle guard plate in maintaining the material to be sewnin upright position, a gauge member pivoted to said shank portion said gauge' member extending rearwardly and terminating in an outwardly projecting gauge lug, said gauge member being 'swing'able from an -'oper-ative posit-ion adjacent said leg to an inoperative pos'ition away from said leg, said shank being adapted 'for "support for cooperating with said needle guard platei'n maintaining the material to be sewn in an'upright position, a gauge member pivoted to said shank portion, said gauge member extending 'rearwarclly and -terminatin'g'in an outwardly'projecting gauge lug, said gauge lug bei'n'g-cha'nnel shaped in cross-section, said gauge member being swingable from an-ope'rative positionadj'acent said-leg to aninoperativeposition'away from said leg, said shank being adapted 'rea-rwardly "for support on said machine.

' 3. A seam-gauging'and guidingattachmerit for overstitch type sewing machines including apai'i of horizontally rotatable feeding disc's-for 'feeding material to be stitched-in a vertical planeand a needle guard plate on one side o f said plane, ;Y

said attachment comprising 'a s'ha'nk portion on the other side ofs'a'id plane extending rearwardly in the form of 'an' ar'cuate l'eg serving as aguide for cooperating \vithsaid needle guard plate in position, a gauge member pivoted to said shank portion, said gauge member extending rearwardly and terminating in an outwardly projecting gauge lug, said gauge member being swingable from an operative position adjacent said leg to an inoperative position away from said leg, and a holder for said shank, said shank being adjustable vertically with respect to said holder, whereby to vary the depth of-a seam on the material being sewn.

4. A seam-gauging and guiding attachment for overstitch type-sewing machines including a pair of horizontally rotatable feeding discs for feedingmaterial to be stitched in a vertical plane and aneeclle guard plate on one side of said plane, saidattachment comprising a shank portion on the other-side of said plane extending rearwardly in the form of an arcuate leg serving as a guide for cooperating with said needle guard plate in maintaining the material to be sewn in an upright position, a gauge memberpivoted tosaid shank portion, said gauge member'extending rearwardly and terminating in an outwardly projecting gauge lug, said gauge lug being-channel-shaped in cross-section, said gauge -membersbeing swing-1- able from an operative position tad-jacentsaid leg to an inoperative position away from said leg, and a holder for said shank, said shank being adjustable vertically with respect to said holder, whereby to vary the depth .ofa seam on the ma terial-being sewn.

5. A seam-gauging andguiding attachmentsfor overstitch type sewing machines-including a pair of horizontally rotatable feeding discs for feeding material to be stitched in a vertical plane and aneedle guardtplatelon one side 10f said plane, said attachment comprising a shan'kiportion on the other-side of said plane extending 'rearwardly in the form of an areuate leg serving as a guide for cooperating with said needle jguard plate in maintaining the material to be sewn .in upright position, a gauge member pivoted to said shank p'or-tion -said gauge-member extending 'rearwardl-y and terminating in an outwardly i-proje'cting gauge lug, said gauge member being swingable from an operative position adjacent said =legxto an inoperative position awayfromsaid l'eg,said shank 'having :an outwardly flaring wedge at the 'end opposite said arcuat'e leg, a holder for said shanlqsaid holder havingareoess complementary in shape to "said wedge for retaining said wedge therewithin and set screws :threaded within said holder for holding said shank in an adjusted po 'sition.

v 6. A seam-'gauging'and guiding-attachment'for overstitch type sewing machines including a pair of horizontally rotatable feeding discs for feed-- ing material to 'be stitchedin a vertical plane and a needle guard plate on one side of said plane, said attachment comprising a shank portion on the otherfside of said :planeextending rearwardly in the formo-f an 'arcuate legserving as a guide for cooperating with said-needle guard plate in maintaining the' 'niaterial to be-seW-n in an upright position, a gauge member pivoted to said'shank portion, said gauge member extendin'g rearwardly and terminating in an outwardly projecting gauge lug, said gauge lug being-(than nel-shaped in cross se'ction, said gauge member being swinga'ble from an operative 'p s-iti'o'n ad- Ja'cen't said leg to an inoperative-position away from said leg, said shan-k having an outwardly flaring wedge at the end opposite "said arcuate leg, a holder for s ai'd shank,saidhdldr havmg i a "recess complementary in shape to saicl we'd'g'e for retaining said wedge therewithin and set screws threaded within said holder for holding said shank in an adjusted position.

'7. A seam-gauging and guiding attachment for overstitch type sewing machines which are provided with a pair of cooperating feeding wheels rotatably mounted on spaced parallel vertical axes for feeding the work in a vertical plane to a horizontally movable needle, and with a needle guard plate adjacent one of said feeding wheels, said attachment comprising a bracket afiixed to said machine adjacent the other of said feeding wheels, a vertically extending channel formed in said bracket, the walls of said channel lying on converging planes to provide a relatively narrow opening to said channel and a relatively wide base therein, a shank movably mounted on said bracket by means of a dovetail shaped extension piece formed on said shank which projects into the channel formed in the bracket, said connection between the shank and the bracket permitting of vertical movement of said shank relative to said bracket and relative to the feeding wheels, set screws provided in said bracket which extend into said channel to engage the dovetail shaped extension piece on the shank to position said shank relative to said bracket and relative to the feeding wheels, a curved foot formed on said shank which extends to the periphery of one of said feeding wheels where the two feeding wheels engage the work, said curved foot being in engagement with one side of the work to support and guide the work in vertical position in cooperation with said needle guard plate which is in engagement with the other side of the work, and a gauge member pivotally connected to said shank on a vertically extending pivot, the free end of said pivoted gauge memher being swingable to a point above the work and adjacent the supporting foot, said free end of said pivoted gauge member being provided with a channel piece which is positionable to engage the top and at least one side of the work as the work is fed between the feeding wheels.

8. A seam-gauging and guiding attachment in accordance with claim 7, in which a vertically extending pin is connected to the swingable gauge member to serve as a handle for swinging said gauge member to any desired position, a pin receiving cut-out being provided in the shank to receive the pin when the gauge member is at its extreme operative position relative to the work.

9. A seam-gauging and guiding attachment for overstitch type sewing machines, in which a pair of cooperative feed wheels are mounted on vertical axes to engage and feed the work on a vertical plane to a horizontally reciprocatory needle, and with a needle guard plate adjacent one or" said feeding wheels, said attachment comprising a bracket, a horizontally extending pin, connected to said bracket for aifixing said bracket to the machine adjacent the other of said feed wheels, said bracket having a vertically extending dove-tail shaped channel formed therein and having a pair of set screws extending therethrough and into said channel, a curved shank having a dove-tail shaped projection formed at one end thereof, said shank being in vertical siidable engagement with the bracket by means of said dove-tail shaped projection engaging the dove-tail shaped channel in said bracket, said set screws being engageable with the dove-tail shaped projection on the shank to fixedly position said shank. relative to said bracket and relative to the sewing machine, the opposite end of said shank being provided with a curved foot which is positioned to meet the work adjacent the place where the two feed wheels engage the work, said curved foot being provided with a vertically extending face by which it engages one side of the work and by which it supports the work in vertical position in cooperation with said needle guard plate which is in engagement with the other side of the work, a vertically extending pin connected to said shank and a horizontally swingable gauge member mounted on said pin, said gauge member being provided with a channelshaped end portion which is engageable with the top and at least one side of the work when the gauge member is swung into substantial registration with the shank, thereby bringing its channel-shaped end portion into operative position above the work, said swingable gauge member being provided with a vertically extending pin spaced from the vertically extending pin on which it pivots, said second pin being usable as a handle to swing said gauge member in either arcuate direction around its said pivot pin, the shank being provided with a recess along one side thereof to receive the pin handle when the gauge member is swung into operative position relative to the work.

LE ROY W. BARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,002,861 Mack May 28, 1935 2,239,189 Cahill Apr. 22, 1941 2,308,910 Bottger Jan. 19, 1943 

